Picking motion for looms



Julie 8, 1937. i c. J. LINDEGREN ET AL 2,032,896 I PICKING MOTION FORLOOMS Filed April 5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 w w- Q June 1937- c. J.LINDEGREN ET AL 2,082,896

y PICKING MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed April 5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 e5 HllIHJHHIIIHIllllllllIllllllllllllllt HIHHHH f1 TTQEWE 1 1937- c. J.LINDEGREN ET AL 2,082,896

PICKING MOTION FOR LOOMS I Filed April 5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June1937- c. J. LINDEGREN ET AL 2,082,396

PICKING MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed April 5, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MAW 0P 62/12 fL/AAFEGWEV $4005 5 04 CH "mam/9L5 Patented June 8, 1937 UNITEDsures ATENT OFFIE PICKING Mo'noN FOR LOOMS Application April 5, 1935,Serial No. 14,806

18 Claims. (Cl. 13'9142) This invention relates to improvements inpicking motions for looms and it is the general object of the inventionto provide an improved motion of this type to propel a shuttle by aforce transmitted frictionally,

Picking mechanisms. customarily employ picker sticks made of inherentlyresilient wood, such as hickory. During the first part of the pickingstroke part of the action the propelling lever produces a bend in thepicker stick and at the end of the stroke when the binder friction onthe shuttle is reduced the stick straightens so that the shuttle isgiven an acceleration which is high er than that which would be producedby the lever action alone.

It has. been proposed heretofore to employ a travelling actuator to bebrought into contact with the shuttle at the time of picking to move theshuttle out of the box by a force transmitted frictionally from theactuator surface to a surface of the shuttle. So far as I am aware noneof these motions provides an equivalent for the straightening of thepicker stick just as the shuttle starts its free flight across the lay,and

, it is an important object of our invention to stroke the stretch willassert itself by causing a part of the belt to contract and move theshuttle at a rate higher than the normal rate of the belt.

It is a further object of our invention to adapt the frictional pickingactuator to the shifting shuttle box end of a loom. So far as we areaware this has not previously been done. In a fancy loom having shiftingshuttle boxes the pattern may call for such a shift as will move one ormore of the temporarily idle shuttles in the shifting boxes across theactive position and it is a further object of our invention to providemeans by which shuttles shifting from one to the other side of thepicking position will be held out of contact with the travellingactuating surface. This result may conveniently be accomplished by ashuttle hinder or check operative normally to push the shuttle out ofcontacting position with respect to the belt during the shifting of theboxes, the binder to be relieved just prior to picking so that theshuttle next to be active may be moved into contact with the belt. Inthis way it is possible to use a constantly moving actuator.

The usual loom has a lay which shuttle boxes movable back and forthduring loom operation. If the motor which drives the belt were on thelay the gyroscopic action of the armature together with the changingangle of the motor axis would result in wearing of the bearings. It is afurther object of our invention to mount the shuttle boxes and beltdriving motors on stationary supports and move the reed forwardly fromthe shuttle boxes after picking to lay the weft in the tell of thecloth.

With these and other objects in View which will appear as our inventionproceeds, our invention resides in the combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims,

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of ourinvention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a loom having our invention appliedthereto,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the plain shuttle box looking in the directionof arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the drop box end of the loom looking in thedirection of arrow 4, Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 4,

Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic side elevations showing the shiftingshuttle boxes in two positions,

Fig. 8 is a detailed section on line 8-8 of Fig. 1 showing the means foractuating the reed,

Fig. 9 is a detail end view of the lay and reed similar to that shown inFig, 8 but on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan showing the manner of controlling theshuttle positioners,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan view of a barrel cam shown in Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a diagram showingthe-control mechanism for the shuttlepositioner and binder,

Fig. 13 isa detail top plan view taken in the direction of arrow l3,Fig. 12 on an enlarged scale,

and

Fig. 14 is a development of the cylinder cam which controls. the shuttlepositioners.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, we have shown a loom frame In having abox and harness shifting mechanism, such as the Knowles head K, andhaving a lay l2 carrying a reed l3. The lay it enters one or another ofthe cells.

is provided with lay swords I4 which rock about fixed pins 15, and eachsword has a, rearwardly extending arm !6 which cooperates with a groovedcam ll fixed to the bottom shaft l8. Each cam has a dwell l9 which holdsthe lay in rear position during the flight of the shuttle and has also arising portion 20 which moves the lay together with the reed forwardlyfrom rear position.

A loom motor 22 may be mounted on a bracket 23 and carry a pinion 2dwhich meshes with gear 25 fastened to the bottom shaft I8. The motor 22runs continuously and supplies the power required to operate the head Kand the cams 11.

As viewed in Fig. l the loom has extending from the power end thereof abracket 30 on which is mounted a single shuttle box 3| having a shuttlebunter 32 adjustable in a hunter holder 33 fastened to the bracket bymeans of a screw 34. The box 3i is adapted to receive any one of aplurality of weaving shuttles which arrive from the opposite side'of theloom, and is aligned with the reed when the latter is held in rearposition by the dwells it of the cams.

At the other side of the 10cm there is a rectangular frame -lil boltedto the loom and having provision for guiding a gang of shuttle boxesdesignated generally at M. The gang in the present instance has fourcells and is arranged to slide between outer and inner guides 42 and 43,respectively, secured to the rectangular frame. A box lifter rod idextends downwardly from the boxes and is connected to an actuating chain45 moved by the head K in known'manner. A bunter d6 similar inconstruction and mounting to bunter 32 may be located on the rectangularframe in position to check the active shuttle as We are aware that it isold to have stationary shuttle boxes and a movable reed and these partstogether with the other structure already described of themselves may beof the usual form and form no part of our present invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will be seen that we havesecured to the under side of the frame 363 a depending bracket on whichis mounted a picking motor 5| to drive a pulley 52. An idle pulley 53 ismounted on a bearing stand 56 secured to the frame 30 at a point nearerthe center of the loom than pulley 52. While this relation has certainadvantages to be set forth hereinafter, yet we do not wish to be limitedto it. a v

The shuttle actuator in the present instance comprises a pair of elasticbelts which are stretched around the pulleys 52 and 53. The rotation ofthe motor is such as to cause the belts to travel in the direction ofarrow a, Fig. 2. when the picking motor 55 is operating.

In order to control the position of the shuttle when the latter is inthe box 3! during the forward beat of the lay we provide a binder 60mounted on the upper end of a shaft 6| which extends downwardly througha bearing 62 secured to the frame 30. The lower part of the shaft Bl hassecured thereto a rearwardly extending arm 63' shown particularly inFig. 12 having a lug 64 with a surface 65 inclined forwardly and towardthe center of the loom. A torsion spring 65 surrounds the shaft 60 and.by a connection with collar 61 secured to the shaft acts to hold thebinder yieldingly rearward or toward shuttle checlnfng position.

The rear surface 68 of the binder 60 when the latter is in normalchecking position is behind the rear surface 69 of the belt so that theshuttle S in the position shown in Fig. 2 will be held rearwardly by thebinder out of contact with the belt, hence the latter can continue torun without disturbing the shuttle.

The box back ill for the box 3| has a vertical stud ll on which is fixeda rearwardly extending arm '52 connected as at 13 to a rod 14. A secondarm moving with arm 12 carries a shuttle positioning r011 16 normallybehind and. therefore out of engagement with the shuttle as shown inFig. 2. This is not necessary relation, however, inasmuch as the rollmay if desired be so placed as to have light rolling contact with therear face of the shuttle.

Rod 14 is connected as at E5 to a lever 11 pivoted as at E8 to a bracket19, see Fig. 1, supported on a cross girt of the loom frame. The reararm 8| of lever ll carries a stud 82 which fits into a cam groove 83formed in the periphery of cylinder 34 secured to the bottom shaft l8.The latter completes one revolution for each two beats of the loom asusual. As shown in Fig. 14 the cam groove may have two central orneutral dwells 85 between which are located lobes 85 for the plain endand 8'! for the box end of the loom, respectively. I

In the operation of the matter thus far described the picking motor 5|is in continuous rotation and therefore drives the. belts 55continuously and preferably at a constant rate of speed. When the pointin the loom cycle is reached when the shuttle is to be picked, that is,when the lay has reached its rear position, the

lobe 86 will cooperate with lever T! to shift the latter in such a wayas to move rod I4 to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, thereby moving roll16 against the rear surface of the shuttle to force the latter forwardlyagainst the belt. It will be seen that the force exerted by the roll '16lies at a point intermediate the driving and idler pulleys 52 and 53,respectively, so that the shuttle is held in proper relation relativelyto the belt throughout its length.

When arm 12 is moved to the left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 12, a bindercontrolling lever arm 88 is moved from the full to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 12. This finger has a lug 89 with a face 90somewhat similar in inclination to face 65 to engage the latter andcause rocking 1 of arm 63 from the full to the dotted line positionshown in Fig. 12. When arm 63 is thus rocked the binder will be movedforwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 12 so that thesurface 68 thereof will either be in line with or in front K of theplane of the surface 69 of the belt. In other words, when the barrel camoperates to pull rod '14 toward the center of the loom the roll 16 willact to move the shuttle against the belt and binder 6U will moveforwardly to permit such movement on the part of the shuttle.

At the opposite end of the lay we provide a second picking motor 90secured to a bracket 9| depending from the rectangular frame 49. Shaft92 of this second motor extends upwardly through suitable bearings andhas mounted thereon a driving pulley 93 similar to pulley 52. An idlerpulley 94 rotatably mounted on the rectangular frame is located at apoint inwardly from the driving pulley with respect to the center of theloom, and as at the other end of the loom we provide a pair of elasticbelts 55 extending around the pulleys 93 and 94.

A shuttle positioning roll M30 is rotatable on an arm I0! secured to anupright shaft H12 mounted on the rectangular frame 40. Extendingrearwardly from the shaft is alever I03 connected as at I04 to a rod I05whichextends toward the center of the loom to have pivotal contact as at5 15 with the lever 11 already described. A cam arm I06 extendsoutwardly from the shaft I02 and has a lug 101 to coactwith a lug I08 ona lever arm I00 secured toand moving with upright shaft IIO rotatable inbearing structure 10 carried bythe rectangularframe. The lugs I01 and I08 coact in a manner similar to that described in connection with Fig.12 and act to move the lever arm I09 to-the right as viewed in Fig. 4whenever rod I05 is pulled toward the 15 center of the loom by 'actionoflobe 81 on the barrel cam. A torsion spring lII around shaft IIO acts asshown in Fig. 5 to move arm I09 to the left, or outwardly from the loom.

On the drop box side of the loom it is desirable to have a binder foreach cell and'these are shown herein asat H5, H6, H1 and H8, all pivotedon a binder pin I I9 carried by the vertically shifting shuttle boxstructure 4I. Each binder may have a binder spring I20 tending to movethe binder rearwardly. The shaft H0 is surrounded by a torsionspring IIIthe effect of which is to move a relieving arm I22 securedto shaft IIOrearwardly, such tendency being resisted by the lugs I01 and I08 unlessrod I05'is moved to advance the roll I00 toward the active shuttle.

The arm I22 carries a vertical pin I23 which is positioned to enter theslotted ends I24 of the binders, this relation being shown in Fig. 4 inconnection withbinder '5. As the boxes shift to render one or anotherofthe cells active, the pin I23 will have successive sliding engagementwith the binders of the cells which'move to or through active position.At the end of a box shift the arm I22 will be related bylits pin I23 40to the binder of the cell in active position.

In the operation of that part of our invention located at the drop boxend of the loom the boxes willshift in response to changes in thepattern mechanism and the shuttles in the gang of cells 95 by theirbinders. The arm I22 is normally so placed as to enter and leave theslots I24, which are normally substantially aligned, as the boxes shift.As soon as the box shift is completed, however, the lobe 01 will act torock lever 11 in a direction to'cause rod I05 to move inwardly towardthe center of the loom, whereupon roll I00 will move through a slot I30in'the back of the actively positioned cell to move the shuttle in saidcell forwardly against the belts I25. At the same time arm I06 will bemoved rearwardly, or upwardly as viewed in Fig. 4, with resultantcoaction between the lugs I01 and I08 effective to move arm I22forwardly and thereby rock the binder corresponding to the active cellforwardly to permit the active shuttle to move against the belts withoutrestraint.

When the shuttles are moved against either pair of belts as describedthey will be moved out 55 of the boxes which they occupy and extendacross the lay to enter the shuttle box aligned with the reed at theopposite side. The rolls and binders are controlled by the cam groove insuch a way that a shuttle upon entering a box will be checked by itsbinder and held back far enough to prevent the shuttle from movingagainst the continuously running belt.

The belts are made of elastic material such as rubber and when theshuttle is first moved into contact with the beltsthe inertia of theshuttle will be held behind contacting relation with belt willtemporarily resist itsonward motion. During this period of resistancethe belts will stretch to set up a tensional stress in the belts. Afterthe shuttle has acquired speed and reaches the point where it is toleave the shuttle box the tensional strain in the belts asserts itselfand there results a contraction of the previously stretched part of thebelt, resulting in acceleration of the shuttle and driving the latterout of the box at a rate of speed greater than that of the normal speedof the belt. It is by the use of elastic belts that we acquire the finalwhip in the picking stroke similar to that found in ordinary Woodenstick picking where the bowing of -'the picker stick is relied'upon togive the shuttle a final rapid thrust just before it starts through theshed. I

When applied to the drop box end of the loom the binders are employed tohold the several shuttles out of the path of the travelling belts duringthe shifting and it is not until just before the time for picking, whichusually follows closely upon the completion of the box shift, that theroll I00 is operative to move the actively placed shuttle against theactuator belts. time the binder for the active shuttle is moved asalready described to permit the shuttle to move without hindrance intoproperpicking position. 1 I Reference to Figs. 6 and 7 will show .therela tion of the shifting boxes with respect to the shuttles, shuttlepositioners and the belts. The dot and dash line represents the plane ofthe shuttle actuating surface of the belts. Fig. 6

represents an intermediate position between the 1 beginning and endingof a box shift, and it will be noted that the roll I00 is in non-workingposition so that the shuttles can pass the belt without engaging it.Fig. '7 shows the relation of parts at the end of the shift, with theroll .moved to working position to push the shuttle of the activelyplaced cell against the belt.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided a pickingmotion for looms wherein a binder is relied upon to keep the shuttle tobe picked out of operative relationship with respect to a continuouslymoving belt until. the time for picking is reached in the cycle of loomoperation. It will further be seen that we have employed elastic beltswhich because of their ability to stretch during the first part of ashuttle motion followed by contraction give the shuttle an impetus orspeed additional to the normal rate of travel of the belt. It willfurther be seen that we have provided a shuttle actuator having a vfriction surface whichmoves in a fixed path and so related to theshifting shuttle boxes as to have picking relation with the activeshuttle only without disturbing the boxing of the shuttles in thosecells which are to remain inactive.

Having thus described our invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and we do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but What we claim is:

1. In a picking motion for a loom operating with a shuttle, a constantlytravelling belt having a friction surface, a shuttle box adjacent thebelt to receive the shuttle, a shuttle binder. for the box normallypositioned to hold. the shuttle away from the belt, and means operativeat the time of picking to move the shuttle toward. the belt and alsooperative independently of. the

At the same shuttle to move the binder away from shuttle checkingposition. g

2. In a picking motion for a loom operating with a shuttle, a constantlytravelling belt having a friction surface, a shuttle box adjacent thebelt to receive the shuttle, a shuttle binder normally positioned tocheck the shuttle and hold the latter away from the belt, and meansoperative at the time of picking to move the shuttle into engagementwith the belt and operative independently of the shuttle to move thebinder transversely of the. shuttle in the'direction in which theshuttle moves when moving toward the belt.

3. In a picking motion for a loom operating with a shuttle, a shuttlebox to receive the shuttle, a constantly moving belt having a frictionsurface located on one side ofv the box, a shuttle binder located on thesaid :side of the box normally operative to hold the shuttle out ofcontact with the belt, and means operative at the time of picking tomove the shuttle against the belt and also operative independently ofthe shuttle to move the binder in a direction to permit the shuttle tomove toward the belt.

4. In a picking motion for a loom operating with a shuttle, a shuttlebox, an elastic belt having a shuttle engaging surface extending alongone side of the box, a driving pulley near the outer end of the shuttlebox to move said belt constantly at a givenspeed, an idle pulley nearthe inner end of the-shuttle box, the belt being trained around thepulleys and having two portions extending in the direction of the lengthof the shuttle box, one portion remote from and the other portionadjacent the shuttle, and meansto move a shuttle in the box into contactwith the belt at the time of picking, the inertia of the shuttleresisting movement out of the box and thereby setting up a tensionstress in the belt to stretch the latter during the first part'of themovement of the shuttle, the tensional stress operative during thelatter part of the movement of the shuttle out of the box to restore thebelt to normal condition and thereby impart to the shuttle by thecontraction ofv the belt a speed which is greater than said given speed.

5. In a picking motion for a loom operating with a shuttle, a shuttlebox, a belt having two substantially parallel portions one of whichextends along the shuttle box, means to drive said belt so that the partalong the shuttle moves in a direction to pick a shuttle out of the box,said belt being elastic and having a frictional surface, the drivingmeans for the belt to engagethe latter at that'part thereof which isremote from the center of the loom, and means to move the shuttle intocontact with the belt at the time of picking, the shuttle by its inertiaresisting movement by the belt and causing the means to set up atensional stress at the time of picking in that part of the belt out ofcontact with the shuttle, the stress thus set up in the belt beingoperative during the latter part of the movement of the shuttle out ofthe box to impart .to .the shuttle a motion in excess of the normalspeed of the belt.

6. In a loom, a set of shuttle boxes to cooperate with a plurality ofweaving shuttles shiftable during a given period in the cycle of loomoperations, a friction picking actuator to pick a shuttle out of theactively placed box by a force transmitted to said shuttle frictionally,and means operative at the end of the aforesaid period to causecooperative relationbetween, the actuator and the shuttle of theactively placed shuttle box.

7. In a loom, a set of shifting shuttle boxes to cooperate with aplurality of weaving shuttles, a frictionv picking, actuator normallyout of operative relation with respect to the shuttles in the boxes whenthe latter are shifting, and means operative at the conclusion of theshifting of the boxes to effect relative movement between the actuatorand the shuttle; in the actively placed box to cause the actuator to,pick the shuttle out of the active box, v

' 8. In a loom, a set oi shifting shuttle boxes to cooperate with aplurality of, weaving shuttles, each shuttle box movable to activeposition, a picking actuator to have frictionalcontact with the shuttlein the active shuttle box, means to shift the boxes, means to preventcooperative relationship between the actuator and any of the shuttlesduring the shiftingjpf; the shuttle boxes, and means to effectoperative. relation between the actuator and the shuttle in the-shuttlebox which is actively placed at the conclusion of a box shift.

9. In a picking motion for a loom operating with a plurality of weavingshuttles, shifting shuttle boxes to render each weaving shuttle active,a

constantly travelling shuttle actuator to have frictional engagementwiththe shuttle in active position, means to shift the boxes above and belowthe actuator,- and means operative upon the completion of the box shiftto move the shuttle in active position into picking relation withrespect to the actuator.- p

10. In a loom, shifting shuttle boxes to cooperate with a pluralityoflweaving shuttles, means to shift the boxes to render any box active,acontinuously moving shuttle actuator effective to pick a shuttle out ofany actively positioned shuttle box, :meansto prevent cooperativerelation between the weaving shuttles and the actuator during theshifting of the boxes, and means to operatively relate the actuator andthe shuttlein the box which is inactive position at the end of theshifting movement of the boxes. I

11. In a loom, shifting. shuttle boxes to 000perate with a plurality ofweaving shuttles, means to shift the boxes to renderany box active, acontinuously moving friction shuttle picking actuator, means operativeduring the shifting of the boxes to prevent cooperationbetween theactuator and any of the shuttles, and means operative at the end of thebox shift to effect relative movement of the actuator and shuttle in theactively placed box to cause the actuator to pick the shut tle in theactively placed box out of the latter.

12. In a loom; a set of shifting shuttle boxes to cooperate with aplurality of weaving shuttles, a friction picking actuator for theshuttles located at one side of the shifting boxes, shuttle positioningmeans located on the other side of the shifting boxes, means to preventthe shuttles in the shuttle boxes from having operative relation withrespect to the actuator during the shifting of the boxes, andmeansoperative at the conclusion of a shifting of the boxes to cause thepositioner to move the shuttle in active-position into operativerelation withrespect to theactuator. v

13. In a loom, a constantly moving friction shuttle picking actuator, ashuttle positioner, a set of shifting shuttle boxes to cooperate with aplurality of Weaving shuttles, means to shift the boxes between theactuator and shuttle positioner, the shuttles being out of contactingposition with respect to the actuator during the shifting of the boxes,andmeansoperative at the conclusion of the shifting of the shuttleboxes'to cause the positioner to move the shuttle in the actively placed boxinto operative relationship with respect to the actuator.

14. In a loom, a set of shifting shuttle boxes to cooperate with aplurality of weaving shuttles, a binder for each shuttle box, a frictionactuator for picking the shuttles, the binders holding the shuttles inthe boxes out of operative relation with respect to the actuator duringthe shifting of the boxes, means to effect movement of the shuttle inthe box which is moved to active position at the end of the box shiftinto operative relation with the actuator, and means to move the binderof the actively placed shuttle box in a direction to permit the shuttlecorresponding thereto to move toward the actuator.

15. In a loom, a set of shifting shuttle boxes to cooperate with aplurality of weaving shuttles, a friction picking actuator for theshuttles, a binder for each shuttle box, the binders holding theshuttles out of operative relation with respect to the actuator duringthe shifting movement of the boxes, a controller to cooperate with thebinder of a shuttle box in active position, and means operative at theend of a box shift to cause the controller to move the binder of theactive shuttle away from the shuttle in the active box and also move theshuttle of the active box into operative relation with respect to theactuator.

16. In a loom, a set of shifting shuttle boxes to cooperate with aplurality of weaving shuttles, means to shift said boxes in a givendirection to render each box active one at a time, a picking actuatorlocated at one. side of the shuttle boxes to have frictional contactwith a shuttle in the active box, said actuator normally out ofoperative relation with respect to the shuttles during a shiftingmovement of the boxes, and means operative at the conclusion of ashifting of the shuttle boxes to effect relative movement between theactuator and the shuttle in the actively placed box transversely of theaforesaid direction in which the shuttle boxes shift to causecooperative relation between the actuator and the actively placedshuttle for the purpose of picking the latter.

17. In a loom, a set of shifting shuttle boxes each to contain an activeshuttle, means to shift the shuttle boxes to render any one of themactive, a picking actuator to have frictional contact with the shuttlein the actively placed box, shuttle checking means for each box toprevent cooperative relation between the actuator and any of theshuttles during the shifting of the boxes, and means to causecooperative relation between the actuator and a shuttle in the activelyplaced box at the conclusion of a box shift.

18. In a picking motion for a loom operating with a shuttle, ashuttlebox, a pair of pulleys spaced along the shuttle box at differentdistances from the center of the m, an inherently elastic belt stretchedaround the pulleys and having one portion adjacent the shuttle in ashuttle box and having a second portion remote from a shuttle in theshuttle box, means to cause the pulley remote from the center of theloom to apply a driving force to the belt, means to force a shuttle inthe box against the first named portion of said belt, the second portionof said belt stretching at the time of picking and thereby setting up atensional strain transmitted around the pulley nearer the center of theloom tending to cause the first named portion of the belt to move theshuttle out of the box, the second portion of said belt contractingduring the latter part of the picking motion to cause the first namedportion of the belt to impart to the shuttle a speed greater than thenormal speed of the belt.

CARL J. LINDEGREN. JACOB B. OLCH.

